SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS 1. (a) Friends, Romans, Countrywoman and (b) A Timeless Thirst for Power (a) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/10/theater/reviews/shakespeares-julius-caesar-by-women-of-donmar-warehouse.html?_r=0 Brantley, Ben. "Friends, Romans, Countrywomen." The New York Times. The New York Times, 09 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. I would use this Theatre Review from the New York Times to spark a conversation with the students about genre roles in this play. Obviously, it is a play that is largely male heavy, so I would like to take a lesson to question the gender roles presented to us in the play. Do they really matter? This lesson could include large discussion of the women of the play and the roles that they play and tie in the fact that men often played women on stage, so why can’t women play men? Do the themes of the play change if different genders are playing them (b) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/theater/the-political-lessons-of-julius-caesar.html Isherwood, Charles. "A Timeless Thirst for Power." The New York Times. The New York Times, 08 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. This piece is also great for the classroom because it explores both the fact that this version of Julius Caesar is performed by women, but also that the search for political power is never-changing. It draws similarities to modern day politics that I believe will get the students talking. It also explains that drawing lessons from the play is difficult because they present such a slippery slope, which I think is also very important for students to recognize.
2. “The Hollow Men” by T.S. Eliot Eliot, T. S. "The Hollow Men." Collected Poems, 1909-1962. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1963. N. pag. Print. This poem by T.S. Eliot would be an interesting way to get students to explore poetry through allusion as well as thematic connection. Julius Caesar is centered around a violent conspiracy of men who are blinded by their cause. The poem alludes to many other instances of violence and even alludes to Dante’s Inferno. The most interesting of the connections comes from the title: “The Hollow Men.” Brutus says:
"But hollow men, like horses hot at hand, Make gallant show and promise of their mettle; But when they should endure the bloody spur, They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades, Sink in trial." Julius Caesar, VI, ii
Binding the two works together with this piece of text could lend itself to a lesson on intertextuality, both through theme and through the obvious homage that Eliot pays to Shakespeare’s play.
3. Julius Caesar: The Life of a Roman General (Graphic Nonfiction) by Kate Petty, Gary Jeffrey and Sam Hadley Jeffrey, Gary, Kate Petty, and Sam Hadley. Julius Caesar: The Life of a Roman General. New York: Rosen Central, 2005. Print. I would like to use this graphic novel because it is a nonfiction account of Caesar’s rise to power and his assassination that will engage student in their learning. I believe that this text in particular would be beneficial for students who would prefer not to read autobiographies, and students that have some trouble reading. Using this graphic novel would make the text accessible to all, as perhaps attract some of the students that are already interested in comic books/graphic novels. This would be used as an informational text in conjunction with Plutarch’s The Life of Julius Caesar.
4. a) Man of Honour VS Man of Action--Royal Shakespeare Company’s Julius Caesar (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5UTRSzuajo) "Man of Honour VS Man of Action | Julius Caesar | Royal Shakespeare Company."YouTube. YouTube, 06 June 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. b) Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 2--Royal Shakespeare Company’s Julius Caesar (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q7apiYunEU) "Julius Caesar, Act 3 Scene 2 | 2012 | Royal Shakespeare Company." YouTube. YouTube, 25 July 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s rendition of Julius Caesar does a fabulous job of making Shakespeare’s play modern, but also of relating it to other cultures. In showing this version of the play, students will gain a perspective other than that of a Shakespearean stage filled with actors in Elizabethan clothes. These videos are also useful tools for my lesson plan on the power of rhetoric, a major theme of this unit.
5. An Excerpt from Plutarch’s The Life of Julius Caesar Plutarch, and H. W. M. Parr. Life of Julius Caesar. London: Macmillan, 1915. Print. I would like to use this text because it provides the basis upon with Shakespeare’s play was written. It gives us a different viewpoint from which we can begin studying the text. Plutarch’s text gives us some insight as to who Caesar really was. In Shakespeare’s play we get a good idea of the infamous character, but at times it is easy to forget that he was just a man, ruling Rome at it’s height. Both of these texts would be used in class as supplements to our lesson on the history of Ancient Rome and introduction to Julius Caesar.
6. Divergent by Veronica Roth Roth, Veronica. Divergent. New York: Katherine Tegen, 2012. Print. This YA novel is a wonderful way to get students excited to read. It has recently been adapted into a film, which could act as a supplemental material for the readings. What drew me to this book (the first in a series of three) is that it captures so beautifully what power means, as well as what it means to be brave. I am interested in giving my students Meyers-Brigg personality tests, which can serve as the “examination” Beatrice and all of the other students had to take to decide their factions. This activity would allow the students to feel as if they are really connected to the characters in the novel. Another interesting aspect of the novel is the way that it deals with tyranny and idea that the factions were created in order to keep from turmoil. A connection can be drawn here between the conspirators who killed Caesar in order to keep from a tyranny, but as Beatrice’s mother says, “Human beings as a whole cannot be good for long before the bad creeps back in and poisons us again.” I would be interested to see what the students think about these ideas.
7. The Ides of March Film The Ides of March. Dir. George Clooney. Perf. Ryan Gosling and George Clooney. Smokehouse Studios, 2011. DVD. Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV-50ay79mk Aside from the obvious allusion to Julius Caesar, this movie puts the story of Julius Caesar into modern day politics, which I believe is a very important connections for students to make. I would, of course, need parental permission for students to see the movie, which is cited as rated R for it’s language. Even if I cannot show the entire film, I would like to show clips of the film and relate it to Julius Caesar. The themes of betrayal run deep within this movie, and I believe that it would give students a great insight into how simple it is for people to betray the people that they were rooting for as a result of revenge or because they believe that it is the right thing to do. In this film, Stephen Meyers (played by Ryan Gosling) is a campaign manager for Mike Morris (George Clooney) and has a hard time figuring out where exactly his loyalties lie. This could provide interesting discussion on what the students believe makes people, in politics in particular, betray one another so easily. *Other possible clips could be shown from Gladiator or Brave Heart
8. Final Diary Entry of John Wilkes Booth Wilkes Booth, John. "Diary Entry of John Wilkes Booth." Diary Entry of John Wilkes Booth. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. While an obvious allusion to Brutus (“...For doing what Brutus was honored for.”) is what may make this an obvious connection for some students, what I am looking to do with this text is compare both of these assassins. Who is more to blame? The man who was Caesar’s friend or the stranger in the opera house? It would prove a very interesting connection to American history classes and will start great conversations about the subjectivity of crimes--who deserves forgiveness? Which crime is worse? And ultimately, who are we to judge? I am hoping that students can see that these themes of betrayal stem across the ages. This letter also provides a unique, first person account from a man whom we so often chalk up to being Lincoln’s assassin, but hardly take the time to learn what he felt afterward.
Young Adult Texts: I chose this novels because I felt that they dealt very closely with our theme for the unit. All of these works possess multiple character struggling for power. Some struggle for power to control themselves, others for power to control those around them, and some struggle for the power to break free from the confines of the government. Students would read these books and identify the similarities between them and Julius Caesar but also recognize the differences. The Ender’s Game and The Hunger Games present these themes through futuristic, dystopian societies, while Cathedral and Tigers in Red Weather explore these themes through historical fiction. Tears of a Tiger approaches the theme from a different point of view; one of a guilty high school student. Students will have a choice of which novel they read, and will be asked to complete a final project. Some may choose comparative essays, while others are able to complete more artistic projects.
1. The Ender’s Game by Orson Scott.Card Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. New York: Tor, 1991. Print.
2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Collins, Suzanne, and Phil Falco. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2008. Print.
3. Cathedral by Nelson DeMille DeMille, Nelson. Cathedral: A Novel. New York: Delacorte, 1981. Print.
4. Tears of a Tiger by Sharon M. Draper Draper, Sharon M. Tears of a Tiger. New York: Atheneum for Young Readers, 1994. Print.
5. Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klausmann Klaussmann, Liza. Tigers in Red Weather: A Novel. New York: Little, Brown and, 2012. Print.
1. (a) Friends, Romans, Countrywoman and (b) A Timeless Thirst for Power
(a) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/10/theater/reviews/shakespeares-julius-caesar-by-women-of-donmar-warehouse.html?_r=0
Brantley, Ben. "Friends, Romans, Countrywomen." The New York Times. The New York Times, 09 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
I would use this Theatre Review from the New York Times to spark a conversation with the students about genre roles in this play. Obviously, it is a play that is largely male heavy, so I would like to take a lesson to question the gender roles presented to us in the play. Do they really matter? This lesson could include large discussion of the women of the play and the roles that they play and tie in the fact that men often played women on stage, so why can’t women play men? Do the themes of the play change if different genders are playing them
(b) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/theater/the-political-lessons-of-julius-caesar.html
Isherwood, Charles. "A Timeless Thirst for Power." The New York Times. The New York Times, 08 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
This piece is also great for the classroom because it explores both the fact that this version of Julius Caesar is performed by women, but also that the search for political power is never-changing. It draws similarities to modern day politics that I believe will get the students talking. It also explains that drawing lessons from the play is difficult because they present such a slippery slope, which I think is also very important for students to recognize.
2. “The Hollow Men” by T.S. Eliot
Eliot, T. S. "The Hollow Men." Collected Poems, 1909-1962. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1963. N. pag. Print.
This poem by T.S. Eliot would be an interesting way to get students to explore poetry through allusion as well as thematic connection. Julius Caesar is centered around a violent conspiracy of men who are blinded by their cause. The poem alludes to many other instances of violence and even alludes to Dante’s Inferno. The most interesting of the connections comes from the title: “The Hollow Men.” Brutus says:
"But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle;
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in trial."
Julius Caesar, VI, ii
Binding the two works together with this piece of text could lend itself to a lesson on intertextuality, both through theme and through the obvious homage that Eliot pays to Shakespeare’s play.
3. Julius Caesar: The Life of a Roman General (Graphic Nonfiction) by Kate Petty, Gary Jeffrey and Sam Hadley
Jeffrey, Gary, Kate Petty, and Sam Hadley. Julius Caesar: The Life of a Roman General. New York: Rosen Central, 2005. Print.
I would like to use this graphic novel because it is a nonfiction account of Caesar’s rise to power and his assassination that will engage student in their learning. I believe that this text in particular would be beneficial for students who would prefer not to read autobiographies, and students that have some trouble reading. Using this graphic novel would make the text accessible to all, as perhaps attract some of the students that are already interested in comic books/graphic novels. This would be used as an informational text in conjunction with Plutarch’s The Life of Julius Caesar.
4. a) Man of Honour VS Man of Action--Royal Shakespeare Company’s Julius Caesar
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5UTRSzuajo)
"Man of Honour VS Man of Action | Julius Caesar | Royal Shakespeare Company."YouTube. YouTube, 06 June 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
b) Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 2--Royal Shakespeare Company’s Julius Caesar (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q7apiYunEU)
"Julius Caesar, Act 3 Scene 2 | 2012 | Royal Shakespeare Company." YouTube. YouTube, 25 July 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s rendition of Julius Caesar does a fabulous job of making Shakespeare’s play modern, but also of relating it to other cultures. In showing this version of the play, students will gain a perspective other than that of a Shakespearean stage filled with actors in Elizabethan clothes. These videos are also useful tools for my lesson plan on the power of rhetoric, a major theme of this unit.
5. An Excerpt from Plutarch’s The Life of Julius Caesar
Plutarch, and H. W. M. Parr. Life of Julius Caesar. London: Macmillan, 1915. Print.
I would like to use this text because it provides the basis upon with Shakespeare’s play was written. It gives us a different viewpoint from which we can begin studying the text. Plutarch’s text gives us some insight as to who Caesar really was. In Shakespeare’s play we get a good idea of the infamous character, but at times it is easy to forget that he was just a man, ruling Rome at it’s height. Both of these texts would be used in class as supplements to our lesson on the history of Ancient Rome and introduction to Julius Caesar.
6. Divergent by Veronica Roth
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. New York: Katherine Tegen, 2012. Print.
This YA novel is a wonderful way to get students excited to read. It has recently been adapted into a film, which could act as a supplemental material for the readings. What drew me to this book (the first in a series of three) is that it captures so beautifully what power means, as well as what it means to be brave. I am interested in giving my students Meyers-Brigg personality tests, which can serve as the “examination” Beatrice and all of the other students had to take to decide their factions. This activity would allow the students to feel as if they are really connected to the characters in the novel. Another interesting aspect of the novel is the way that it deals with tyranny and idea that the factions were created in order to keep from turmoil. A connection can be drawn here between the conspirators who killed Caesar in order to keep from a tyranny, but as Beatrice’s mother says, “Human beings as a whole cannot be good for long before the bad creeps back in and poisons us again.” I would be interested to see what the students think about these ideas.
7. The Ides of March Film
The Ides of March. Dir. George Clooney. Perf. Ryan Gosling and George Clooney. Smokehouse Studios, 2011. DVD.
Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV-50ay79mk
Aside from the obvious allusion to Julius Caesar, this movie puts the story of Julius Caesar into modern day politics, which I believe is a very important connections for students to make. I would, of course, need parental permission for students to see the movie, which is cited as rated R for it’s language. Even if I cannot show the entire film, I would like to show clips of the film and relate it to Julius Caesar. The themes of betrayal run deep within this movie, and I believe that it would give students a great insight into how simple it is for people to betray the people that they were rooting for as a result of revenge or because they believe that it is the right thing to do. In this film, Stephen Meyers (played by Ryan Gosling) is a campaign manager for Mike Morris (George Clooney) and has a hard time figuring out where exactly his loyalties lie. This could provide interesting discussion on what the students believe makes people, in politics in particular, betray one another so easily.
*Other possible clips could be shown from Gladiator or Brave Heart
8. Final Diary Entry of John Wilkes Booth
Wilkes Booth, John. "Diary Entry of John Wilkes Booth." Diary Entry of John Wilkes Booth. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
While an obvious allusion to Brutus (“...For doing what Brutus was honored for.”) is what may make this an obvious connection for some students, what I am looking to do with this text is compare both of these assassins. Who is more to blame? The man who was Caesar’s friend or the stranger in the opera house? It would prove a very interesting connection to American history classes and will start great conversations about the subjectivity of crimes--who deserves forgiveness? Which crime is worse? And ultimately, who are we to judge? I am hoping that students can see that these themes of betrayal stem across the ages. This letter also provides a unique, first person account from a man whom we so often chalk up to being Lincoln’s assassin, but hardly take the time to learn what he felt afterward.
Young Adult Texts:
I chose this novels because I felt that they dealt very closely with our theme for the unit. All of these works possess multiple character struggling for power. Some struggle for power to control themselves, others for power to control those around them, and some struggle for the power to break free from the confines of the government. Students would read these books and identify the similarities between them and Julius Caesar but also recognize the differences. The Ender’s Game and The Hunger Games present these themes through futuristic, dystopian societies, while Cathedral and Tigers in Red Weather explore these themes through historical fiction. Tears of a Tiger approaches the theme from a different point of view; one of a guilty high school student. Students will have a choice of which novel they read, and will be asked to complete a final project. Some may choose comparative essays, while others are able to complete more artistic projects.
1. The Ender’s Game by Orson Scott.Card
Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. New York: Tor, 1991. Print.
2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Collins, Suzanne, and Phil Falco. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2008. Print.
3. Cathedral by Nelson DeMille
DeMille, Nelson. Cathedral: A Novel. New York: Delacorte, 1981. Print.
4. Tears of a Tiger by Sharon M. Draper
Draper, Sharon M. Tears of a Tiger. New York: Atheneum for Young Readers, 1994. Print.
5. Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klausmann
Klaussmann, Liza. Tigers in Red Weather: A Novel. New York: Little, Brown and, 2012. Print.